Radiological dose and health impact to Jordanian populace due to radioactivity in staple food crops from four representative soils in Jordan

Abstract

In the current study, the activity concentrations of 40K, 226Ra,232Th, and 137Cs were measured in 39 wheat crops samples and their associated soils taken from four representative soils in Jordan to estimate the annual effective dose and lifetime risk assessment due to intake of these radionuclides in wheat crops. The mean annual effective dose and the excess lifetime risk due to 40K and 226Ra intake in wheat grains was 0.4 mSv and 14.64 × 10−4 exceeding the global average of 0.178 mSv and 10−4, respectively. 226Ra had the most significant contribution (72% of the total), followed by 40K (28%).